On 11 April 2010, 55 years after the birthday of Taekwon-Do there was a national championship in ITF Netherlands. The organising club was TKD Middelburg in the South of the Netherlands and with the team of volunteers under guidance of Sabum Nanne Boonstra and Boosabum Rianne Boonstra.

There were 16 of the 20 clubs registered as participants of the championships with 219 entries in youth, junior and seniors. The program was divided in individual Patterns, Sparring, Special Technique, Power breaking and for the first time Pre-Arranged Free Sparring. With 46 referees from international A-class till national D-class a challenge to handle such a championship on 6 squares. The umpire committee had the support of it's advisor Master Coos van den Heuvel, 7th Degree and were under the supervision of Henny van Zon, Max Don, Patrick den Hoed, Henk Schaaij and Harry van Schaik of the Tournament and Umpire Committee of the Netherlands.

The sports hall was divided in 4 squares of 10x10 meter, 1 square for Special Technique and 1 square for power breaking. Furthermore the sponsor Musubi Sports, http://www.musubisports.nl/ delivered a fantastic podium for the price winners. After a welcome of councilman of Sports of Middelburg we had a minute of remembrance of the passing away of Grand Master Tran in Haiti.

After a referee meeting, coach meeting, measuring and weigh in, everything was ready to start at 08.58 hours with Patterns. The users of the electronic system needed some time to get the hand of it but when it started it went very well for the A category square. At the Dutch national championships there is a knock-out system and so everything went very fast. We started Pre-Arranged Sparring at 10.45 on two squares. The crowd loved the things the participants put on the floor and for the first time there was also a draw in this event!

Our Masters James Tjin-A-Ton, President of I.T.F. Nederland, and Willy van de Mortel were so kind to assist in umpiring the 4th degree and up category together with Chiel Rombout, Dutch national coach, Robert Boer, former Dutch national coach, and Martin Schellens, Secretary General of I.T.F. Nederland. A great team to have on the umpire staff. Thank you all.

 

At 11.15 individual sparring, Special Technique and Power Breaking started and went on very well. At 13.00 hours the Dutch National Team was presented who is going to participate in Gothenburg, Sweden in three weeks during the national championships. Also the sponsor was thanked with a nice picture and Martin Schellens, our secretary general was thanked for this many years of hard work in the association and we hope he will continue many more years. With the celebration of the birthday of Master Coos van den Heuvel we moved on with the competition till 16.30 when we finished with Special Technique Senior male A category. A great way to end a beautiful day.

With the new communication system we used as a test the umpire and tournament committee was able to communicate with each other very easy and was a success.

All people involved thank you for the hard work and looking forward meeting you again in 2011!

On behalf of the Umpire and Tournament Committee I.T.F. Netherlands
Harry van Schaik
Head of Umpires I.T.F. Netherlands
www.itf-nederland.nl